Pembina teams with KKR

Article Excerpt

PEMBINA PIPELINE, $47.23, is still a buy. The company (Toronto symbol PPL; Shares outstanding: 550.4 million; Market cap: $25.7 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 5.3%; www.pembina.com) has signed a deal with U.S.-based private equity firm KKR to combine their Western Canadian natural gas processing assets in a new joint venture. The as-yet-unnamed new entity will be owned 60% by Pembina and 40% by KKR. Pembina will serve as the operator and manager. Notably, Pembina had already formed a strong relationship with KKR over the past four years as partners in Veresen Midstream. The new deal includes Pembina’s field-based natural gas processing assets, the Veresen Midstream business (now 55% owned by KKR and 45% by Pembina), and Energy Transfer Canada (ETC), currently owned 49% by KKR. The joint venture will also buy Energy Transfer LP’s 51% stake in ETC. In addition, Pembina will receive $700 million in cash from KKR. Pembina Pipelines remains a buy. buy…